Long Beach tops Pacific in conference opener

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LONG BEACH After a difficult and inconsistent nonconference season in which Long Beach State lost 7 of 11 games, the 49ers looked to regroup Saturday afternoon at Walter Pyramid in its Big West opener against Pacific.

With the help of midseason transfer Tony Freeland, the 49ers did just that as they defeated the Tigers, 67-63, in front of 3,502.

Freeland made 4 of 5 shots and scored 15 points in 35 minutes in his debut for the 49ers (5-7, 1-0).

“It's nice to be back on the court and competing with other people,” said Freeland, a junior transfer from DePaul. “I didn't know I was going to be playing all of those minutes. I was dying at first but then I got a feel for the game.”

Mike Caffey and James Ennis led Long Beach State with 19 points apiece, and along with Dan Jennings and Freeland, spirited the 49ers' second-half comeback. Jennings had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Coach Dan Monson said he liked the way his team competed.

“This is Game 1 for us as a group, and it's a great win,” Monson said. “We're not ready for league, but we can compete through it. We had good energy as a group. It's hard for guys who have been out a year to get into a rhythm.”

Arizona State transfer Keala King also contributed with five rebounds and two steals in 19 minutes.

After a lackluster first half, the 49ers erased a double-digit deficit.

“We were a little rusty on defense at first, but we got stops and that motivated us on offense,” Caffey said.

Long Beach State shot 60.9 percent (14 of 23) in the second half after shooting only 31.6 percent in the opening half. Caffey scored 14 of his 19 points after halftime.

Ennis continued to be the most consistent 49er. He made four of six shots, 9 of 10 free throws, had four steals and three rebounds.

The 49ers took their first lead, 36-35, on Caffey's 3-pointer with 14:47 to play. Jennings and Caffey made back-to back baskets to make it 54-47 with 8:15 left.

Three times in the second half Jennings powered inside for baskets and on one defensive sequence blocked three consecutive shots.

Trevin Harris' 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining cut the 49ers lead to 65-63. Peter Pappageorge made oneof two free throws to give Long Beach State a 66-63 lead. The Tigers (6-7, 0-1) pushed the ball down court in the final seconds with an opportunity to tie, but King stole the ball with 6.3 seconds to play. He then made one of two free throws to seal the victory.

Lorenzo Harris and Trevin Harris led Pacific with 13 points each. The Tigers outrebounded the 49ers, 39-28, and led at halftime, 26-21.

Long Beach's 21 points was its lowest output in the first half this season.

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